From time immemorial, we have seen Africa as the land that was enslaved. The land that was imperialized. The land that is yet to be. Ever since the colonial nations discovered Africa, they have just wanted to get their hands on it. By hands, I mean their burdening ideologies, their deafening thoughts, and their profit-inducing plantations.
However, why was Africa called the Dark Continent? Although race lies at the heart of this humungous land, this was not exactly the reason why Africa was known as such. The simplest answer most possibly would be that Europe did not know much about Africa till the 19th century. For the crusaders, Africa was just mysterious, filled with secrets and unknown things. It is said that Europe knew very well about Africa for at least 2,000 years, but because of their imperial impulses, they pushed the information down. Around the same time, the Africans were also campaigning against slavery. Europeans thought that they would encounter savagery and mysteries on the continent. They didn't know anything. Or at least, that's how they behaved.
The poorest continent of the world, that says enough about Africa's situation. The GDP of the continent as whole only accounts for 2.4% of the world's GDP. What happened to Africa? Why did they have to stoop so low? Research states that Africa has the largest reserves of metals when compared to the rest of the world. It has over 90% of platinum reserves and over 60% of gold. If this is the case, why aren't they exporting it and making money out of it? The answer lies in the movie Blood Diamond. The movie accurately depicts the way in which Africans are cunningly dwindled out of their resources while others take advantage of it.
After centuries of struggle with various atrocities like war, famine, and slavery, Africa wanted to survive. They needed to survive. When imperialism affected the country, the world outside thought that Africa will progress. They will see a new dawn. However, the unequal distribution of resources and new boundaries caused more problems. It seemed like their issues will never end.
Following are some of the problems that Africa has been facing and continue to face:
Since independence, Africa has had a long-standing history of poor governance. Although they pried away from their independence from the imperialists, they still have a long way to go for achieving complete democracy and liberation. They are still struggling with having a proper government that is democratic and can serve the people properly.
When it comes to population growth, Africa has the highest population growth of them all. The fertility rate is quite high as well. In the continent, it is 4.7 children per woman. So, one can only imagine the challenges a woman faces there. According to the UN, by 2050, Africa will have double the entire population that it has today. That just means more people and fewer resources, yet again.
Decades after its independence, Africa is still yet to discover its agricultural potential. Ever-changing climates and unexpected weather patterns still pose a threat. When droughts go on for longer than usual, it results in people displacement and depleted grain reserves. Just when the country thinks they have had a surge of development, droughts and famine occur, which makes them a step back to childhoods that were malnourished and adulthood that was filled with unemployment and struggles.
But Africa is not all sorrow. It has created its own impact on global development. Although globalization and liberalization couldn't do much for Africa, they have made strides that have become known globally. Africa was not a country that progressed with globalization. They couldn't fully take advantage and develop their continent. Instead, they thought that the traditional ways were best to move forward and never paid heed to the New World.
Africa invented major breakthroughs like ink and pen. It would be an understatement to say that all other technologies after this were only made possible because of these inventions. They derived ink from the combination of soot, vegetable gum, and water. It was all made possible because of the Kemits of North Africa. They also invented the alphabet as well.
The people of ancient Kemet also invented the calendar, which is one such invention that people cannot live without today. Through their meticulous study of the sun, moon, and stars, they were able to precisely calculate the flooding of the Nile River which was vital to their ability to farm. The Kemites discovered that the movement and position of the sun and the moon had a direct effect on all objects on the planet Earth. From this revelation, the astronomers of Kemet were the first to develop a solar calendar that divided the year into 365 days with 12 months of 30 days each. Successive civilizations went on to create their own calendars, owing much to the pioneering development in ancient Kemet.
People were of the common notion that medical procedures were invented in Europe. But, it was in medieval Africa that the first medical procedures like surgery, skin grafting, use of ancient medicines, the installation of false teeth, etc.
The story of Africa is not something that can be compressed into a few words. They have a very rich history of slavery, traditions, and of course, wildlife. Here's to hoping that the coming years will be brighter for Africa and they will have the chance to embrace a healthier economy.
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